3 NY Mets offseason moves that won’t benefit them in 2025 but could in 2026

David Stearns plans to be here for a while. He isn’t hastily trying to make the New York Mets a World Series Champion at the expense of practicality and sustained winning. That way of thinking generally backfires. See Brodie Van Wagenen for more information.

While the goal is to win, the Mets have made multiple offseason moves with more of an eye for the future. It’s not too distant either. Likely or guaranteed to not be factors at all in 2025, these offseason additions can become more useful by 2026.

1) Re-signing Drew Smith

The Mets know exactly what they’re going to get from Drew Smith in 2025: zilch. Recovering from Tommy John surgery is his goal. Signed for $1 million this year with a $2 million team option for 2026, the Mets are essentially paying a million bucks to get first dibs on him if all goes well in his recovery.

Smith was a source of promise but also frustration during his time with the Mets. The only big league team he has played for, a 3.48 ERA in 196.1 innings is a fair outcome for what he has been. Good for stretches yet implosive in some big moments, Smith was always best used as a middle reliever who could get you through lower leverage situations.

It is a bit ironic looking at his career and how the seventh inning has been his best other than the ninth where he was mostly in there to finish losses or a game where the Mets led by enough to not require a save. Smith has a lifetime 2.87 ERA in the seventh with a .233/.330/.409 slash line against him. In the eighth, while hitters are batting only .246, he has allowed 10 doubles and 11 home runs. It’s that frame where his 4.59 ERA points to the biggest shortcoming of his career. Smith regularly gave up that one big extra-base hit.

Still beneficial to have around in 2026, the Mets wisely eyed the future by bringing him back.